51–60 of 124 posts
Also consider getting involved with an existing project if you're having writer's block. Lots of stuff out there in need of some help.
If you really want one, I recommend doing something physical, with your hands. Like woodworking, cooking, pottery, whatever.
That seem to be a good counterbalance to the thought-heavy tech jobs most of us on HN have.
Learn to relax. Go outside, hike, sunbath, swim, read good books ( literature ) or try to volunteer.
Was tempted to make a throwaway account for this, but what the hell, burnout is really nothing to be ashamed of. I'm in a somewhat similar situation to you, but replace the 3 years with 10 years. I had many periods of 'minor' burnout along the way that I ignored or ploughed through, which in hindsight was a pretty big mistake. Around August last year I just couldn't continue. I wasn't sleeping, I was frequently run d…
Go running, lift weights, do calisthenics, join a team sport.
Whatever. Pick something you enjoy of course! Just go out and do physical stuff for the pure fact of physical stuff.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
Felt like I was reading a description of what I feel. Kind of punched me in the face when I read at the end that he's 70...I've been in my animal for 35 years...perhaps it's time to reconsider my life. The problem is, I will probably never do until another major crash happens...I assume this is a problem many of us have.
She* :) And yeah - very powerful piece of writing. She's a published fantasy author and I'm going to try one of her novels ( https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/77197.Assassin_s_Apprent... )
- Stop using social media. People posting how excited they are will drag you further down
- Give yourself time. Don’t force it. Time will mend things
- Go out into Nature. Leave your phone at home
As a result, I'm super familiar with that cold, dead, leaden feeling of not caring about anything, not really able to feel any of the excitement and buzz that I know, intellectually, I should be able to feel. It is taking a long old while to return back to a position of health, and while that's happening the only thing I've really had to draw on is grit, determination, and a sort of psychotic single mindedness.
I'm now in a much MUCH better place than I was before, but I've been able to keep pursuing my side project (and hopefully eventual startup), and able to keep making some kind of progress ... but it's really only been sheer bloody-mindedness that's kept me going. (I'm hella stubborn when I want to be).
Happily I'm feeling a lot better now, and progress is definitely picking up again now that I can actually smell the victory that's so tantalisingly close to being in my grasp.
I changed jobs and have been working the longest time on my current side project. One of the most important things is that I don't need to do it today. I can have a week of leave from my side projects if i want.
It's working on it consistently that works, without overworking myselve.
Question is: what do you care about?
Is it about the technology it earning money from them? If you want to earn money from them without caring about the learning part, it's not actually a passion.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
> I think each bout leaves some permanent damage, along with increased risk of subsequent bouts. Negative experiences tend to produce learned behaviors and reactions that we’re not aware of. These can be overcome, but it takes effort to identify them and implement deliberate changes in our behavior. There are various ways of doing this from self-guided books to professional therapy. It’s not exactly “damage” in the s…
I’m not sure that you can talk yourself out of physical brain damage. PTSD alters the character and volume of grey matter present in the brain. I guess veterans etc. who suffer throughout their lives with it just aren’t sufficiently resilient?
I mention this because pointing to the physicality of psychological conditions often induces a sense of fatalism that often isn't warranted per se, and can become some sort of self-fulfilling prophecy.
Again, this does not mean people should just pull themselves up. It does suggest that people could in principle learn coping mechanisms (through therapy etc.) to a degree that allows for leading a fulfilling life, even with PTSD manifesting physically in the brain.